Mercedes-Benz is increasing its investment in Vietnam by opening its first electro-dipping coating facility worldwide in Ho Chi Minh City. The advanced and eco-friendly facility has an investment of nearly $10 million. Mercedes is using Vietnam as a pilot country for this type of plant. Located inside the Mercedes-Benz Vietnam factory in the city’s Go Vap District, the facility covers an area of 5,000 square metres.

The facility eliminates heavy and extremely hazardous metals such as nickel, zinc or manganese, and decreases clean water usage by 40 percent, electrical energy by 40 percent and wastewater by 30 percent, compared to traditional phosphate coating technology, according to the company. The electro-dipping coating facility of Mercedes-Benz Vietnam can paint many types of chassis and structural components. This facility will be used for the locally manufactured body frames of GLK, C-Class and E-Class. After installing the plant in Vietnam, the parent firm Daimler will further spread this technology to other countries.

“We not only introduce the safest and most luxurious vehicles to Vietnam’s customers, but the most advanced ecologically friendly German technology to this country as well,” said Peter Alexander Trettin, president and CEO of Daimler Central/Eastern Europe Africa and Asia in Stuttgart, Germany. “Vietnam is one of our production plants worldwide. We highly appreciate this market and commit to a long-term investment.”

He said this facility is also a significant investment by Mercedes-Benz. “Therefore, this facility is also a symbol for our long term commitment to this market. We strongly believe in the further development of the economy in Vietnam, as well as the growing automotive market here as well as in the South East Asian region.”

Mercedes-Benz is the only luxury manufacturer to partially assemble vehicles in Vietnam.